War-game apparatus.



T. J. SYLVESTER.

WAR GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, I918- RENEWED FEB. 15. I919.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

I Thomas zJ.5y/ves71- L TED STATES neuron.

WAR-GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filed May 1, 1918, Serial No. 232,536. Renewed February 15, 1919. Serial No. 277,303.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. SYLVESTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 160 N. 53d street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in WVar-drame Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to games and toys and has for an object to provide a game apparatus particularly adapted to the present war, and by which the participants in the game assume opposing positions to represent opposing armies or countries in the war, and playing the game by means of a suitable ball in connection with the apparatus representing the outlay of the trenches, dug-outs, nomans-land, etc., whereby the ball or balls of one participant will designate the men under him, and a ball or balls of the other participant will designate the men under him or, as the case may be, the armies under his command, so that in the manipulation of the balls in connection with the apparatus, certain points can be scored when the ball or balls dispose themselves on certain parts or in certain depressions of the apparatus, indicative of the outlay of the land and surrounding country, trenches, etc, in the present conflict.

Among other features, the invention comprehends a game apparatus that may also be used for other purposes, but as mentioned heretofore, is particularly adapted to the playing of a game illustrative of the present conflict, and further, the invention comprehends an apparatus which can be cheaply manufactured, and which consists of few and simple parts that cannot readily get out of order, the apparatus being designed to provide amusement both for the young and the old. i

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the game apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the balls or spheres, and,

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the figure employed in connection with the game.

Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 10 indicates the playing board which, as shown, is in the nature of a circular body provided with an upstanding annular flange 11 which forms a circular runway 12, the board being inclined toward the center from the run-way, and which I will term the surface 13. The surface is divided by a radially extending trough or gutter 14:, to one side of which is th enemy ground, and to the other side of which is the Allies ground. In the center of this trough or gutter 14: there is provided a depression 15 for the reception of a base 16 of a figure 17, which figure may be artistically arranged with the facsimile of the general of one of the parties to the game on one side of the figure, and the general or commanding of ficer of the other party to the game on the other side of the figure. The trough or gutter 14: is bordered by parallel side strips 18 which form stop flanges, which will be hereinafter more fully described. Extending at right angles to the trough or gutter and stop flanges thereof, is a stop flange 19, one of which extends at right angles to the trough or gutter into the enemy surface or ground, and the other extending at right angles to the trough or gutter in the opposed direction into the Allies surface or ground, and these stop flanges 19 border on parts 20 which are termed no-mans-land, and also from the side wall or border of another depression that will be more fully described hereinafter. Opposed stop flanges 22 border on depressions 23 which are designated as first-line trenches of each side, and adjacent these are opposed depressions 24.- designating the second-line trenches, and further adjacent to these are depressions 25 designating third-line trenches, and which last-mentioned depressions have the stop flanges 21 forming the outer borders thereof. In the segmental portions of the surface between the trough or gutter 1 1 and the first-line trenches or 11o1nans-land, are a series of circular depressions 36 known as dugouts, and it will b noted that at the inner ends of the first-, secondand third-line tranches, additional bulwarks or upstanding plates 37 are provided which are suitably notched in configuration to the trenches and which border and form the inner termini of the flanges 18, these being provided to prevent the balls 38, one of which is shown in Fig. at, from jumping over the trenches into the trough or gutter 14. The stop flanges and flange plate may be formed integrally with the board body, or attached thereto as separate parts, as will be clearly understood, and it will of course be understood that the surface of the board body can be suitably painted and arranged to depict a battle field, with no-mans-land, first-, secondand thirdline trenches designated by suitable lettering, or otherwise, and of course a set of rules will accompany each game.

In the playing of the game each participant has about 10 or 12 balls, and taking one of the balls, the participant ejects it from the hand at a point on the circular run-way 12, so that the ball will roll around the run-way and be kept in the run-u .y by the speed thereof. Now when the ball loses its speed it will, on account of the inclination of the surface of the board, roll toward the center thereof, and in so doing will deposit itself in one of the dug-outs. no mans-land, or in one of the lirst-, secondor third-line trenches, or possibly the ball may roll down the central trough l t and knock over the guard or sentinel, designated by the figure 17. The ball of the Allies, for instance, must of course deposit itself in one of the depressions or parts of the battle field which belong to the opponent, otherwise he receives no count; and, whereas, the first-line trench might score 10 points, the second-line trench 15 and the third 20; the dug-outs might be designated to score 5 points, and when one of the participants balls rolls down the central trough 14 and knocks over the guard, it might score 50 points, having a figure such as 200 or 500 for a game. It will of course be apparent that the participant that scores the 500 points first wins the gan'ie, and thus wins the battle, it being also understood that when a ball rolls into no-mans-land that ball is dead, the ball representing a. man or battalion which having been lost in no-mansland has been taken prisoner by the enemy. Various rules and regulations of course cover the progress of the game, and any additional rules and regulations may be made from time to time as conflicts occur in the natural course of events, and that might occur in a game of this character.

When the game board is not in use a suit able cover 39 can be employed to cover the entire plane surface, so that the game board can be conveniently carried and the surface concealed or kept free from dust or dirt.

It will be understood of course that the game board or game apparatus can be made of various sizes, and that various slight changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, a playing board comprising a board body having an annular flange or rim forming a circular run-way, with the surface of the board body inclined toward the center, a diametrically extending trough provided with a depression at its center, said trough being formed in the body to form the dividing line of the game board, a series of depressions in the surface of the board body and extending at rightangles to the central trough in opposed directions from each other, stop flanges bordering certain of said depressions and said central trough, circular depressions in the inclined surface of the board body, between. the rim thereof and the cent "al trough and the other depressions in the board body, a figure for removable disposal in the depression of the central trough, and a playing ball to be whirled around the annular run-Way of the board body and disposeitself in one of the parts or depressions in the surface, when the speed of the ball around the run-way has decreased to the extent that will cause the ball to gravitate toward the center of the playing surface.

2. In a game apparatus, a circular playing board having an annular run-Way, a ball adapted to be whirled around in the annular run-Way, the surface of the board being inclined toward the center from .aid runway, a central dividing trough in the surface of the board, opposed depresslons in the surface at rightangles to the central trough and constituting first-, secondand thirdline trenches, stop flanges bordering on certain of said depressions and also :torming opposed run-ways called noanans-land, circular depressions in the playing surface adajcent to and on both sides of the central trough, said circular depressions indicating dugouts, and a playing figure designating a guard or sentinel normally arranged in an upright position in said central dividing trough.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

THOMAS J. SYLVESTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

